jinxi's StarChat Web IRC Tutorial for WebTV & MSNTv Users

Yes, we have a *new* WebTV, and there are some changes. Many of them for the better once you see how they work, especially the ability for WebTV/MSNTv users to now join vacant rooms. I am sure some people will not like the changes, and I'm sorry. But please give it a chance and message, memo, or e-mail me with any bugs you find or features you'd like to see added.

This is now what you see when you log on to StarChat.

Click on the red squares for a description of each field and what it does.

Row 1: Connection Bar

• server - This field is set so the servers you join are on the StarChat network. Typing in any other server will bring you back to StarChat.
  
  
• port - This field is set to port 6667. Typing in any other port will return you to 6667.
  
  
• room - This field can be modified to your room name.
  
  
• join - Change your room name and click to join. You may also change rooms by simply typing: /join room-name

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Row 2: Chat Window

• Here you see the room's topic, population, the nicks of who is in the room, and your announce message.

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Row 3: Text Input

• Type your text and click enter to send your message to the room.
  
  
• whisper - Talk privately with another nick in the room.
  
  
• who? - Displays the nicks of everyone in the room.

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Row 4: Text Action

• /me - Displays an action in the room.

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Row 5: Message Boxes

• /msg - Keeps up to four private conversations in message.

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Row 6: Action Message - Buddy List - Find A Buddy - Clock

• action message - Displays an action in message.
  
  
• buddy list - Create a list of your buddies and message them all with a single message.
  
  
• find a buddy - Search for someone by their nick.
  
  
• clock - Tells time and the date, also has an alarm clock / timer feature.

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Row 7: ID - Info - Op - Kick - Ban - List All rooms - Top 75 rooms - Help room

• id - Identify to NickServ. If you have registered your nick and set guard on, you have 30 seconds in which to identify after connecting to the network. If you do not identify, your nick will be changed and a number one "1" added to the end of your nick. To keep your nick registered, ID every time you log onto the network.
  
  
• info - Get information on a registered nick.
  
  
• op - Give yourself or another nick ops in a registered room.
  
  
• kick - Kick a nick from a registered room.
  
  
• ban - Ban a nick from a registered room.
  
  
• list all rooms - Displays a COMPLETE list of all rooms on the network. WARNING: This is a large list!
  
  
• top 75 rooms - Displays the top 75 rooms by population.
  
  
• help room - Takes you to #starchat, the network help channel. Don't join this room unless you need help, OK?

Row 8: Services

• NickServ
  
  
  • Identify Nick- Identify to NickServ. If you have registered your nick and set guard on, you have 30 seconds in which to identify after connecting to the network. If you do not identify, your nick will be changed and a number one "1" added to the end of your nick. To keep your nick registered, ID every time you log onto the network.
    
    
  • Change Nick - Changes your nick to whatever you specify. You MUST have a registered nick and be Identified to NickServ to do this. You will NOT be able to see the change on your console, although everyone else in the room and in whispers/messages will see the changed nick.
    
    
  • Whois - Get information on a nick.
    
    
  • Nick Info - Get information on a registered nick.
    
    
  • Ghost nick - If you get disconnected from StarChat and log back on to find that your nick is still connected, you use this command to remove the "ghosted" nick. Remember to put a space between the nick you want to recover and your password.
    
    
  • Release nick - Releases a services-held nick.
    
    
  • Ignore
    • Ignore List - Lists all nicks currently on ignore.
      
      
    • Ignore User - Add a nick to your ignore list.
      
      
    • UnIgnore User - Remove a nick from your ignore list.
      
      
      
  • Nick Set Up
    
    
    • Register Nick- Keeps your nick safe from others, allows you to register a room, and to send and receive memos. Be sure to put a space between your E-mail address and your password. Remember that you make up your own password and that it is case-specific, meaning that if you use all upper-case letters for your pass, you must continue to use upper-case letters each time you identify to NickServ. You can register up to five nicks. There is NO CHARGE for registering your nick on StarChat.
      
      
    • Activate Nick- When you register your nick, you will receive a set of numbers e-mailed to you from StarChat. You MUST activate your nick within twenty-four (24) hours to complete registration. If you do not activate within 24 hours of registration, you will need to register again. Put those numbers in to complete registration.
      
      
    • Nick Guard On - Protects your registered nick from others attempting to use it. When you set this on, you will have only 30 seconds from the time you connect to StarChat IRC Network in which to identify to NickServ. Be ready to click on the ID button and put in your password if you select to turn this option on.
      
      
    • Nick Guard Off - Removes registered nick protection. See above.
      
      
  • Set Language - Change the language of Services responses.
    
    
    • Cajun - Acadien, Louisiana French with a dash of Creole!
      
      
    • Dutch - Praaten Nederlandese?
      
      
    • English - Default language for Services.
      
      
    • French - Shouldn't this be "Freedom" like the fries?
      
      
    • German - They build nice cars.
      
      
    • LCARS - For everyone who is a Star Trek junkie at heart.
      
      
    • Spanish - Arriba!
      
      
  • NickServ Help - Lists every NickServ command with examples.
    
    
• ChanServ1
  
  
  • Room Info - Get information on a registered room.
    
    
  • Invite - Invite someone into your registered room.
    
    
  • Set Topic - Place or change your room topic.
    
    
  • Op - Op yourself or another nick in a registered room.
    
    
  • DeOp - Remove ops for another nick or yourself from a registered room.
    
    
  • Mass DeOp - Remove ops from everyone in a registered room.
    
    
  • Perm Room Ops - Give permanent room ops for a registered nick in a registered room.
    
    
    • List Ops - List nicks and levels of all room ops.
      
      
    • List levels - Displays all op levels and their respective abilities.
      
      
    • Add Voice [3] - Adds permanent level 3 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
    • Add AutoOp [5] - Adds permanent level 5 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
    • Add MinorOp [8] - Adds permanent level 8 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
    • Add SuperOp [10] - Adds permanent level 10 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
    • Add CoFounder [13] - Adds permanent level 13 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
    • Add Founder [15] - Adds permanent level 15 room ops for a registered nick.
      
      
  • Delete Op - Removes permanent room ops for a registered nick for any level.
    
    
  • Kick - Kick a nick from a registered room.
    
    
  • Mass Kick - Kick all nicks from a registered room.
    
    
  • Bans - Places a temporary ban in a registered room.
    
    
    • List Bans - Lists all current bans for a registered room.
      
      
    • Ban - Bans a nick from a registered room.
      
      
    • UnBan - Removes a ban from a registered room.
      
      
  • Auto Kick - Places a permanent automatic kick and ban for a registered room.
    
    
    • List AKicks - Lists all permanent akicks for a registered room.
      
      
    • Add AKick - Adds a nick to the permanent akick list for a registered room.
      
      
    • Remove AKick - Removes permanent AutoKick for any nick from a registered room.
      
      
  • ChanServ Help - Lists every ChanServ command with examples.
    
    
• ChanServ2
  
  
  • Register Room - Register your own room on StarChat. There is NO CHARGE to register a room on StarChat. You may register up to five rooms.
    
    
  • Quiet Changes - Make modifications to room settings without disturbing other room ops in a registered room.
    • Set Quiet Changes On
    • Set Quiet Changes Off
      
      
  • Room Visibility - Place or remove your registered room from public view on a room list.
    • Set Room Invisible
    • Set Room Visible
      
      
  • Room OpGuard - Prevent anyone who is not a room op from receiving ops in a registered room.
    • Set OpGuard On
    • Set OpGuard Off
      
      
  • Topic Lock - Restrict topic changing privileges to different op levels for a registered room.
    • Current Level
    • List Levels
    • Topic Lock Voice [3]
    • Topic Lock AutoOp [5]
    • Topic Lock MinorOp [8]
    • Topic Lock SuperOp [10]
    • Topic Lock CoFounder [13]
    • Topic Lock Founder [15]
    • Remove Topic Lock [0]
      
      
  • ChanServ Help - Lists every ChanServ command with examples.
    
    
• MemoServ
  
  
  • List Memos - List allmemos that others have sent you.
    
    
  • Read A Memo - Read a single memo that others have sent you.
    
    
  • Read All Memos - Read all memos that others have sent you.
    
    
  • E-mail All Memos - Sends all your memos to your e-mail.
    
    
  • Delete A Memo - Delete a single memo.
    
    
  • Delete All Memos - Delete all your memos.
    
    
  • Send A Memo - Send a memo to a registered nick.
    
    
  • Send Room Ops A Memo - Send all the ops a memo for a registered room.
    
    
  • Settings - Turn memo reception on or off.
    • Turn off Memos
    • Turn on Memos
      
      
  • MemoServ Help - Lists every ChanServ command with examples.

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Row 9: Popups

• Use with caution, some are insultory.

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Row 10: Links

• reload - Reloads client.
  
  
• send an e-mail - Send an e-amil without leaving the chat.
  
  
• save as favorite - Add this IRC to your list of favorites.
  
  
• make home - Make this IRC your home page.
  
  
• tutorial - Where you are now.

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Before you go, remember that WebTV & MSNTv users make the following common errors:

• Forgetting to put a SPACE between the e-mail address and the password.
  Put a space between the e-mail and password.
  
  
• Using only a nick for the e-mail address.
  A COMPLETE e-mail address is required to register a nick.
  
  
• Just because the example shown for register nick says "@starchat.net", doesn't mean YOU have a "@starchat.net" address.
  Use YOUR @webtv.net or @msntv.net address.
  
  
• Putting the password in to activate their nick instead of the activation code.
  Use the activation code, NOT the password to activate.
  
  
• Forgetting to ID once Nick Guard is set on. Remember you only have 30 seconds after you connect in which to Identify before NickServ adds a 1 to the end of your nick.
  ID to your nick once you connect.
  
  
• Forgetting to ID before entering a registered room and then asking why you lost your room ops.
  ID to your nick before you join your room.
  
  
• Trying to memo unregistered nicks.
  Nicks MUST be registered to receive memos.
  
  
• Trying to add permanent room ops when you are not Identified.
  YOU MUST be identified to add room ops.
  
  
• Trying to add permanent room ops for an unregistered nick.
  Nicks MUST be registered to receive room ops.
  
  
• And finally, thinking all of the StarChat staff are bots.
  

Staff needs to remember the following:

• Don't beam WebTVers. They continue to see the name of the last room they were in and can't apply any of their commands to the present room.
  
  
• Don't assume WebTVers can see Server messages, the MOTD, or Services notices. WebTVers do not see anything sent to them in a notice.

Hope you've enjoyed this tutorial, as always, if you have any questions, please go to #starchat for further assistance.

Tag!

jinxi
Net Founder
StarChat IRC Network